


My brother, the Ghost

by angelmariecloud



Category: Call of Duty: Ghosts - Fandom
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Brainwashing, Gen, Medication, Mental Breakdown, Mental Instability, Psychologists & Psychiatrists, Repressed Memories
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2016-08-29
Packaged: 2018-01-10 15:35:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1161503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelmariecloud/pseuds/angelmariecloud
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Six months after Rorke dragged Logan away, he reappears with very little memory of what happened and how he escaped. With his mind in tatters, the question remains: is Logan still a Ghost or is he an operative for the Federation?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prisoner

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone. This is unbetaed so please forgive any spelling and grammar errors.

Prisoner

“Logan..." Hesh gasped, reaching for him. “Logan!" Hesh tried crawling towards them only to realize that they were too far away. “Logan!" Hesh yelled, watching his little brother get dragged away. Logan kicked with his free leg, but his movements were sluggish and uncoordinated. The blow to the head assuring that. Logan continued to struggle until Rorke kicked him in the head again. Hesh was trying his hardest to get up, to stop Rorke but he wasn't fast enough and he didn't reach them before Rorke threw Logan over his shoulder and disappeared. “NO! Logan! I'll kill you Rorke!"

“Hesh." Logan gasped.

“Don't worry, kid. You'll see him again soon."

Logan kicked at Rorke again and Rorke deflected the blow. Then he threw Logan onto a helicopter. Logan tried to crawl away but Rorke stopped him. Logan was then drugged for the duration of the trip. When he woke up, he was in a deep hole in the ground. He screamed for an hour and then tried to climb out. His broken arm prevented that.

Six months later, he was found in an abandoned hut in No Man's land. Merrick rounded a corner in an abandoned Federation safe house and was tackled to the ground a knife to his throat before he could process what happened.

“Move and I'll fucking kill you!" A man growled. Merrick blinked up at the thin, filthy man seated on top of him. The man's hair was long, tangled and so dirty that he couldn't tell the color it once was. His beard was in equally bad shape and he was covered in dirt, grime and blood. Beneath his worn, thin clothing, Merrick could make out every one of his ribs.

“I can help you. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm looking for someone. Maybe you've seen him. He's just a kid. Blonde hair, brown eyes like yours. Goes by the name of Logan."

The man above him was frozen in shock.

“Merrick?" He asked uncertaintly. The knife clattered to the floor. Then he was down the hallway, cowering in a corner and muttering to himself. “Not again. Not again!"

Merrick felt his throat constricting. Logan was the pitiful shell before him. Starved and half crazy but he was alive.

“Hesh, get over here. I found him."

“I'm on the way."

Logan stayed in the corner whimpering and crying. Hesh stood frozen behind Merrick. “Logan? Logan!" He started forward and Merrick grabbed his arm.

“He's a mess. Go slow." Hesh approached him slowly.

“Not again, please!" Logan begged, his eyes shut and his hands over his ears. Hesh knew knelt besides him. 

“Logan. Open your eyes." He pulled his hands down. “Logan."

Logan opened his eyes slowly.

“Hesh?" He asked. “Are you really here?" He stared at Hesh. Then he reached out hesitantly. “You're real." He sobbed. “I t-thought I was going crazy." Hesh gathered Logan into his arms.

“It's ok. I've got you. I'm here. You're safe."

Logan clung to Hesh. “Let's get to you out of here."

“They did something to me, Hesh." Logan sobbed “My head hasn't stopped ringing since before they left. Make it stop!"

“I will. We need to get you home so the doctor can take a look."

Logan shook his head and launched himself at Merrick, tryin to get his firearm. Hesh grabbed him and they toppled to the floor.

“NO!" Logan shrieked, he was no match for Hesh, who was healthy and whose muscles hadn't deteriorated. It didn't stop him from struggling. “You don't understand! They did something to my head. It won't stop!"

“Keegan, we need a tranquilizer. Now!"

Keegan appeared a minute later, syringe in hand. Logan struggled more.

“NO! NO!"

“It's okay, calm down. He won't use it if you stop fighting. I know you're scared. It's okay." Hesh tried to soothe. Logan didn't hear him. Too frenzied to listen.

“Hold his arm still."

Merrick pinned down Logan's left arm and Keegan administered the drug. Logan continued to scream until it started taking effect. Hesh held him until he was completely under.

“What the hell?" Merrick asked.

Hesh picked himself up and lifted Logan into his arms.

“He's been tortured. He's not well. But we need to make sure he he'll be fine. I'm not going to let him out of my sight."

“Poor kid." It took an hour to get back to base, where Logan was taken from Hesh to be examined. When Hesh was allowed to see him, Logan was coming back from surgery.

“How is he?"

The doctor looked disturbed.

“There was a device in his head. We still don't know what it was. We had to rebreak his right arm to set it properly."

“Can I see him?"

“Yes."

Logan was asleep, his right arm in a cast, his left handcuffed to the frame.

“What?"

“Just a precaution. He's been missing for six months. We need to make sure that he isn't an operative for the Federation." The doctor was saying behind him. Hesh supposed it made sense, but it didn't mean that he liked it.


	2. Doubts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan's first days back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, I'm such a goof. I forgot to put a disclaimer. You know the drill. Not mine, not for profit.

Doubts

Hesh supposed it wasn't the first time that someone returned from captivity. Logan was on some heavy duty pain meds. His head was bald, wrapped in compression bandages. He was currently shaving the beard, having already taken scissors to it.

“I don't know what they did to you, Logan. But I promise, no way is anyone gonna do it again."

Logan was still sleeping so Hesh didn't expect an answer. Merrick was waiting outside.

“Hesh?" Logan rasped.

“Hi."

“Where?"

“Base hospital. How do you feel?"

“Like crap. What happened? I feel like I'm floating. I hate that sensation."

“You're on some pretty strong pain meds. You need them considering that you're a mess."

“Hesh, you look terrible. Where's dad? Is he mad at me?"

Hesh was shocked, Logan couldn't remember anything.

“Logan, what's the last thing you can remember?"

“We almost got munched by wolves. Then the base was under attack and its real fuzzy. Did we pass?"

Hesh smiled.

“Yeah kid, we did."

“And dad?"

“He- Logan, that was a few months ago."

“Was I in a coma? Is that why I feel so weak?"

“No kiddo."

“What happened? Is," Logan swallowed. “Is dad dead?"

Hesh sat next to Logan.

“Seven months ago." He said quietly. Logan's face crumpled.

“How?"

“He was KIA."

“Where?"

“Las Vegas."

“No, where were we?"

Hesh sighed.

“We were there. We'd been captured."

“Did-was it fast?"

“Fairly."

And just like that, Hesh broke his brother's heart.

“What happened to me?"

“You were taken as a POW six months ago. We just got you back."

“Why can't I remember?"

“I don't know."

Logan tried to sit up, but realized that he was cuffed to the bed.

“Hesh? Why am I tied down?"

“It's for your own safety."

“Untie me!" Logan said. He pulled at his wrist. “Now!"

“Hold on."

Hesh left briefly to find out who had the key.

“I'm not authorized to release your brother. I'm sorry."

“Who is?"

“Captain Merrick."

Hesh sighed.

“Where is he?"

“He'll be here later to see your brother."

“All right." He returned to Logan.

“Hesh get me out of here."

“Take a breath, kiddo. I don't have the key and we need it to unlock those."

Logan frowned.

“What the hell, Hesh? It's me."

“I know. But they need to be sure."

“You think I'm a double agent."

“No, but we don't know what they did to you. Logan, there was a device in your head. The fact that you're awake at all is a miracle. Just get rest, you aren't well enough to do anything else."

“That doesn't mean anything! I haven't changed!"Logan snapped, then his eyes went wide. “I'm sorry."

“It's okay. You're not well. Please , relax, rest."

“Ok."

Logan shut his eyes and tried to rest. Three hours later, he heard Hesh and talking.

“Are you going to let him go? He hasn't done anything wrong."

“I know."

“He freaked out about the cuffs. Could you unlock them?"

There was a soft click followed by another. His wrist was free. He could try to run, but he didn't think he'd make it.

“Hesh?"

“How long have you been awake?"

“Just a minute. Can I go home now?"

“When you feel better."


	3. Sleepless Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan has been having a rough week.

Logan sat up sharply, a scream lodged in his throat. He looked around the darkened room with wide, terrified , wild eyes and tried to keep the sob from escaping. Hesh was sleeping several feet away, with Riley curled on the foot of the bed. Neither of them stirred and Logan swung his legs off the bed. He needed air suddenly. He crept out and made his way outside.

He was both relieved and sad that Hesh didn't wake up. Since his release from the hospital, he had not gotten a single full nights sleep. It would be fine, if he wasn't dragging his brother down with him. Hesh was just as tired as him, or maybe even more tired. Hesh was the one that stayed up until Logan was asleep again. Logan reached the outside and leaned against the wall, sliding down until he was sitting on the ground.

He hated feeling this way. He was killing his brother and that thought caused him to begin sobbing in earnest. Hesh sacrificed so much to ensure that Logan was free, and that he wasn't under lockdown and all he was doing was killing his brother slowly. Hesh had dark circles under his eyes and looked worse with cares each day. The worst part of all of this was the fact that Logan didn't know what or why he was having these recurring, terrible, vivid and violent nightmares. He didn't know if they were repressed memories, his imagination or if he'd lost what little remained of his mind. It wasn't only Hesh that was affected by Logan screaming himself hoarse nightly, it was everyone else that shared the hallway with them.

He didn't know how long he sat there. 

"Logan? What happened?" Hesh asked. "More nightmares?"

"I can't sleep."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

Hesh sat beside him.

"I'm killing you, Hesh. My nightmares are going to get you killed."

"I'm your brother, Logan. It's my job to protect and take care of you."

"But-"

"No buts. Let's get you back to bed, so that you can get some sleep."

"Will you stay with me?"

Hesh smiled, Logan hadn't made such a request since he was eight and their mother died.

"Yeah kiddo, I'll stay." He said, helping Logan to his feet. Hesh would be talking to Logan's doctors, but that could wait until Logan got some sleep.


	4. Breaking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into what happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some trigger warnings apply. Sorry.

Breaking of Logan

Hesh collasped from exhaustion several days later. Logan panicked.

“Hesh!” He cried, running to his brother. “Hesh wake up, please!” Logan shook him and when Hesh didn’t respond he threw himself on his brother, sobbing. “Please, don’t leave me. I’m sorry, please don’t go.” Keegan came across the scene a few minutes later.

“What happened?” He asked. Logan could barely speak through his sobs. But Keegan seemed to understand. He called for help and two medics arrived. Logan reacted badly when they tried to move him to examine Hesh.

“No! Don’t touch him!” He yelled. Keegan struggled to pull him away from Hesh to let the medics do their the job. “Let me go!”

“Logan, they’re here to help. You have to let them do their jobs.”

“Hesh!” Logan was not in a good mental state and Keegan finally managed to rip him from Hesh. Logan flailed and tried to get free. “No! Let go of me!”

“We’re gonna need help in here.”

“Hesh!”

“Give me 10 ccs of diazepam!”

“Hesh!” Logan wailed.

Between the medics, with Keegan’s help, they manaaged to force the needle into his arm and give him the drug. Logan screamed and struggled until it began to take hold. Then his movements became sluggish, and uncoordinated. He sagged in Keegan’s arms, his muscles going limp. He whimpered as they fell to the ground, Logan heavily drugged and Keegan exhausted.

“We’ll send another team for him, let’s concentrate on his brother first.”

Logan whined from within Keegan’s arms when Hesh was put onto a stretcher and taken out. He sounded much like a wounded, cornered animal and his actions had been much like it. The second set of medics strapped the barely awake man to the stretcher before transporting him to the infirmary. Hesh woke up twelve hours afterwards.

“What happened?”

“Your body was not happy about the lack of sleep. You passed out. Scared the hell out of Logan.” Merrick said.

“Where is he?”

“He’s fine. They had to sedate him when he refused to let them get to you. He’s sleeping off the effects.”

“I need to be there when he wakes up.”

“You’re no use to him like this. I know you want to be there all the time, but you aren’t helping anyone like this. He needs help that you can’t give him.”

“I know. I don’t want him to be labeled, it’ll destroy his career. If he’s declared mentally unstable, he’ll have to leave and stay in a civilian facility.”

“He is mentally unstable, Hesh. I know this is your brother, but unless he starts improving, there’snot much you can do.”

“And he can’t until he remembers what happened. He repressed those memories to protect himself. It’s not fair that he has to relive them.”

“They’ll come back eventually. And when they do, they’ll hit him like a brick.”

Hesh bit his lip.

“I want your word that you’ll find someone that won’t do more harm than good.”

“I want him to get better too. I owe your father that much.”

Hesh was released six days later, after the doctors made sure that he was in no danger from his insomnia. Logan was forced to stay another two weeks, sedated most of the time he was there. It hurt so much to see Logan like that, and made Hesh feel like the world’s biggest failure. If he’d just searched harder, gotten to Logan faster.... Hesh was given directions on how to continue the sedative for the month to slowly wean Logan off of them. Logan was tired all the time as a result of the drug, now in oral form every six hours. Merrick let Hesh take Logan with him to the training yard because Logan just watched quietly from the sidelines. He was sleeping throughout the night, thanks to a second medication he was given. Hesh wasn’t sure if he had the nightmares still but he was probably too heavily drugged to get that far in sleep.

The month seemed to drag on and though Hesh was finally getting his rest, he still worried about how Logan was doing. Outwardly, he seemed better now that he was with his older brother and it was sweet. Logan never complained, not that his words made a whole lot of sense, with his speech slurred because of the drugs. Hesh was also sharing a bunk with Logan, scared that he’d overdosed his little brother. Logan didn’t seem to mind. He smiled at Hesh each night before lights out, his eyes distant and his smile lopsided before falling asleep. He ate when told and was able to function on a minimal level. By the second week, Hesh was asking the doctors if there was something else they could prescribe so that his brother wasn’t a zombie. He had a bad reaction to the second one so they went back to the first.

When Logan was finally off the sedatives, he sat next to Hesh.

“I’m starting to remember.”

“Everything?”

“No. It comes in flashes that aren’t really memories, more like...impressions.”

“What do you want to do?”

“Hesh, I need to see someone. Someone who has answers. Could you come with me? I don’t want to go alone.”

Hesh turned to Logan. They were in the mess hall and Logan was picking at what looked like peas on his plate. He always hated them when they were young but Hesh suspected that it was a nervous tick.

“I’ll take you, if that’s what you want. I’ll wait with you, I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you’re in good hands.” Logan hugged him without warning.

“Thank you. I... I’m so scared, Hesh. I don’t want...I can’t...”

“I’ve got you Logan. You’re safe now.”

Logan followed Hesh the next day to the base psychatrist.

“Ah, you must be Logan. Have a seat.” He gestured to a chair. “You can wait for him outside. I apologize about the small space.”

“Can Hesh stay?”

“I would like to see you alone first, then we’ll let your brother in. Is that okay?”

“I guess.”

Logan followed.

“So, tell me about yourself.”

“I was fifteen when the ODIN strikes hit.” Logan said. “I lost my father to a madman named Rorke and from what I was told it wasn’t pretty. I remember some of what happened to me.”

 

Several months earlier, somewhere in South America...

Logan tried not to eat the food they gave him or drink the water, chosing to dump it on the ground and fill the cup with rainwater. But it didn’t always rain and he was getting dehydrated. After a few days, he gave in and drank the poisoned water. The pain was incredible, and he felt nauseated soon after. After three days of being sick, he couldn’t see, his vision failing. He shuddered and laid against the wall miserably.

“Hesh.” He moaned, his left arm wrapped around his midsection. “Hesh, help me. I can’t...” He shut his eyes. It was no use keeping them open if he couldn’t see anyway. His right arm was still twisted in a funny way. They hadn’t bothered putting a cast on it before throwing him down this pit. “Hesh. Please, where are you?”

He had no idea how long he was sick for, he knew that he got worse, but the days blurred together and he slept a whole lot. He was dragged from the pit and brought to Rorke.

“You stink, kid.” He said, and splashed a bucket of ice-water over Logan. Logan cried out but he couldn’t go anywhere flanked by two guards who held him by his upper arms. If they were unhappy about getting wet, they didn’t indicate it. “Clean him up.” Logan struggled but his movements were uncoordinated and weak, easily brushed aside. He was cut out of the clothes he’d been captured in and forced into a shower stall. He didn’t have enough higher function to be embarrassed. He was scrubbed, none too gently and washed down twice from head to toe. When he was cleaned he was dragged out by his left arm and brought to Rorke still dripping wet.

He was forced to his knees and he fell forward onto his face. “Much better, I hate stink.” Logan laid on the floor, shivering, gasping and trying not to pass out. He wondered what was happening. “Hold him still.” He was pinned by the wrists to the floor and he wailed as the bones in his right arm ground against one another, his legs kicking wildly as he tried to free his body. His eyes widened in horror when he felt a finger slide across the skin of his rear end. He shook his head frantically. Then there was sharp, burning pain in his lower half and he screamed, going limp. “Relax, kid. I haven’t even started yet.” Rorke said, sounding maliciously gleeful.

He knew it probably wouldn’t help but he still tried begging.

“No... Please... Not that. Please!” Rorke ignored him and Logan started when he felt something slick run down his crack. He sobbed, and shook his head again. “No, don’t please.” Then he howled when something that felt too big and hard began to force it’s way inside. He shook from the pain, bit his lip to stifle the sobs and shut his eyes, praying it would be over soon. He needed his brother to come barging through the door now more than ever. Torture, he might have survived. But this, he didn’t want to survive. Hesh was nowhere to be seen though and Logan wondered if his brother was dead from the injury he’d given him. Logan laid miserably on the cold, unyielding ground, pinned there by two guards and a psycopath.

An eternity seemed to pass for him before the weight on his back was gone, leaving him feel as if his entire spine was on fire. He struggled to get his breathing under control, tried to focus on the sounds in the room but it was hard. He finally managed to get his sobs under control and let out shuddering hiccups instead. He hadn’t opened his eyes yet and he was so tired. Maybe now they would let him rest?

He was dragged from the ground and forced to face his attacker. He glared at Rorke, hatred rising from the pit of his stomach. Rorke laughed. “I like your spirit kid!”

“Fuck you!” He rasped.

“You know what to do.” He was dragged to a small room with a table. He was strapped to the table and then Rorke came in.

 

“You were tortured, violated.”

Logan nodded, not trusting his voice to not to crack. “I also remember them getting me ready for surgery, and I remember waking up afterward alone except a nurse. I think I scared her to death. And she told me what they did to me. I don’t really remember much of what happened after that. I have an impression of it, surviving by hiding.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired, confused and like a failure. I don’t want to keep Hesh up at night with my nightmares. It made him sick. I wonder if it would be better if I’d died. My brother collapsed because of me.”

Logan realized that he’d given the therapist almost all his fears. He didn’t know what else to say and he bit his lip. “I’m so


	5. Silence

Silence

Hesh knew that the other soldiers would look at Logan like he was a traitor but he hadn’t imagined that it would be so hard. Logan hadn’t meant to kill that soldier several weeks ago, he hadn’t even known what he was doing. But the scene was the stuff of nightmares. Logan was covered in the man’s blood, sitting on top of his corpse screaming and still trying to shoot him. He’s managed to empty the entire clip into the poor man’s head, killing him with the first one but still trying to keep firing the man’s Beretta. It took all of Merrick’s pull to keep Logan out of the brig and once the medical professionals had their say, Logan couldn’t be charged with any crimes because it was obvious that he was out of his mind.

Their new morning routine consisted of getting all the medications that Logan needed to take. Sertraline 50 mg for depression which was a little oval, blue pill. Lamotrigine 25 mg to stabilize his mood and it was a pill that was small, white and round. Abilify 10 mg was an antipsychotic that was small, peach, oval pill with squared corners. Every morning, Hesh set up the pills for Logan to take before they went down to eat breakfast. Logan took them without complaint, knowing that if he refused at any time, he would be confined to a treatment facility far away from Hesh. They were the medications that he had to take during the day. There was only one that he to take at night and it was to help him sleep and that was zolpidem 5 mg, a small, red, oval pill. It made Logan sleep within ten minutes of taking it and Logan slept throughout the night. It made it difficult for Logan to wake up in the morning but at least he wasn’t waking every night screaming.

After taking the pills, they went down to eat breakfast. Logan sat alone in a table in the corner as far away from the others in the room as possible. Not that the other soldiers stationed at the base would let Logan sit with them even if he asked. Logan was miserable and isolated except for Hesh. It wasn’t easy, every time Logan walked into any room, there was a long moment of silence. No one dared to try to do anything to Logan, but Hesh knew that no one liked having Logan around. Keegan decided to join them for breakfast after a week of the Walker boys eating alone. Logan’s ‘babysitters’ as he called them, watched from a corner to prevent violence from Logan or against him.

“You could eat with the others. I’m okay with that.”

“I’m not leaving you alone, Logan.”

“Care if I join you guys?”

“Keegan, you’re welcome to join us. Logan, eat your veggies.” Logan’s nose wrinkled in disgust.

“You’re really brave to join us, Keegan. No one wants to sit with us. I’m bad news.”

“It’s not your fault.” Logan scoffed and stabbed the veggies on his plate.

“Is it?” Logan asked. “I killed a man, and he was innocent.”

“Logan.” Hesh warned.

“I should be in prison for it. I got out of trouble because I’m crazy.”

“Logan, I doubt any of the guys here even _know_ what you went through.”

“He said he’d come for me, did I tell you that? He said it didn’t matter how fast I ran, or where I went he was coming back to ‘take’ me ‘home’. I’ll die first. I don’t want to become the monster he created but I can’t escape it either.”

“You’re not going to be him Logan. This is what he wants, for you to be so afraid that you will make yourself crazy.” Keegan said. “Don’t let that bastard win.”

Logan pushed the veggies around on his plate.

“He already has.” Logan whispered. Hesh frowned and Keegan just shook his head. Since Logan killed the man, he’d been severely depressed. Keegan kept hoping, along with the rest of the Ghosts that Logan would recover from this. It was painful watching the child of one of his dearest friends suffer so much. If he ever saw Rorke again, he’d shoot the man in the head, and then chop it off for good measure. Logan showed so much promise when he joined the Ghosts, now he was so different from the bright eyed kid that he was.

Logan looked around the room. The guy’s friends wanted him to pay for what he did, and he was tempted to let them take justice into their own hands. It was hard on him, but it was even worse for Hesh, who didn’t deserve to be ostracized because of him.

“He hasn’t won yet, Logan.” Hesh said.

“Hasn’t he? He took _everything_ from me.”

“No, he didn’t. I know you better than that. You could never be like that monster. If I understood what dad said, he was _always_ not right. Being a prisoner of war didn’t make him evil, he already was.”

“But-”

“No, Hesh is right. Rorke was always a bastard. He would’ve gone off the rails eventually and taken the rest of us with him. You feel bad about what happened, even though you aren’t to blame for it. _That’s_ the difference. You feel badly about the things you do, if they were wrong. You’ve got more of a soul than most of the others.”

“That didn’t stop me from… He had a family, friends.”

“Do you remember what happened?”

“No. I just remember being in the brig after, covered in blood.”

“It’s not your fault.” Hesh said. “You aren’t well and you never should have been left alone.”

Logan noted that his friends were watching them. All he really wanted to do was to apologize to them but every time he tried, they walked away. Hesh noticed it.

“Are they bothering you, Logan?”

“I just want to apologize to them.” Logan said in a small voice.

“They threatened to kill you.” Hesh said. “If they hurt you-”

“They won’t, and if they do… then I want you to let it go.”

“Logan…”

“There’s been enough violence. If something bad happens to me, I want you to forgive the people responsible. Unless it’s Rorke, then you can stab him in the nuts.” Keegan choked on his coffee.

“You can’t say funny stuff like that when I’m drinking coffee. And the fact we find that funny says something bad about us, I’m sure.”

 

Logan was cornered by the man’s friends a week later, alone; his guards suspiciously absent.

“You killed my friend.”

“I’m sorry.” Logan said, backing away from the group. “I would take it back, if I could.”

“You murdered a good man, and you walk away ‘cause they say you’re crazy.” Logan hit the wall nearest him, stopping his retreat. There were five guys, all in their prime. Logan was physically recovered but he hadn’t been allowed to train.

“I didn’t mean to do, please. I’m sorry.” Logan worried that they would do worse than just kill him. A quick death was fine, but to get beaten to death was going to be ugly.

“Listen to the little bitch! ‘I’m sorry’. Like that changes anything.” The apparent leader of the group stalked forward and used his considerable bulk to pin Logan to the wall. Logan let out a terrified wail and tried to escape. He managed to get a few steps by ducking under the man’s arms and running for the door. One of the others grabbed him before he could get far, and Logan flailed. When they only laughed and tossed him between them like a toy, Logan understood what they were going to do with him. He saw the flash of a knife out of the corner of his eye. Before he could be shoved onto it, the door flew open to reveal Merrick.

“What the fuck is going on here?!” He demanded, catching Logan as he stumbled forward. Logan broke down, clinging to Merrick like a small child. “Are you hurt, Logan?”

Logan tried to answer, he really did but Merrick couldn’t understand him through his sobs.

“I should have known the little bitch was doing you.”

“Listen very carefully, you little bastard.” Merrick bit out, “If I ever see you even look at Logan wrong, you’ll find out who the Ghosts are the bad way.” The big man paled at Merrick’s words. “Logan is a ghost and if you fuck with him, you fuck with all of us. Get out before I kick your ass.”

Logan shrank into Merrick’s side when the group passed. “You’re safe now, Logan. Let’s get you to Hesh.” Logan was still sniffling when they got to the training field. The candidates stopped what they were doing when they arrived.

“Logan!”

“He isn’t hurt, but I wouldn’t say he’s unharmed.”

“What happened?” Hesh asked, examining

“It’s nothing.” Logan said after a moment.

“I wouldn’t call pulling a knife on you nothing, Logan.” Merrick pointed out. Hesh’s face darkened.

“I’m gonna kill them.” He growled. Logan’s eyes went wide.

“No! This has to stop! Let it go!” Logan begged. Hesh hesitated then relented.

“If they try it again…” Hesh said.

“They won’t. Merrick made it very clear what would happen to them if they tried. They were shaking in their boots. The man is scary you know.”

“What happened to your guards?” Merrick wondered.

“I don’t know.” Logan said, “I’m just glad Merrick was close by. I don’t want to think about all the things they could have done to me if you hadn’t been there. Thank you. But I need to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. I think I’m gonna go to the treatment center. It’s better for me and for you.”

Hesh shook his head. “I’m not helping by being here, Hesh. I can’t do anything to change what happened or what I’ve done. But I can make sure it never happens again. I want to stay, I don’t want to go, but it’s what’s best.” Hesh opened his mouth to speak but before he could say anything an alarm went off. Logan flinched and tried to disappear into Hesh’s side.

“It’s okay.”

“I’ll check out what’s happening.”

“He’s here!” Logan said, his voice pitched high in distress.

“Sh...” Hesh tried to soothe. Logan was on some powerful drugs, but he wasn’t going to get over the terror of Rorke coming for him. Logan was a mess, even though he was getting help. Hesh held Logan, not caring who saw this. It was his job to protect Logan and he’d be damned if he let Rorke hurt him again.

The alarm continued for an hour, in which they learned that the Federation forces did try to infiltrate the base but failed horribly. There was a note on one of them from Rorke that Hesh crumbled before Logan could see it. Rorke was mocking them and was closing in. He didn’t tell Logan about the note. Logan had to be given a heavy sedative in order to sleep. As the drug began to take hold, Logan begged Hesh not to let Rorke take him away again. He begged Hesh to kill him if it came to that. Hesh was saved from having to answer that by Logan falling asleep. Hesh promised that this time, Rorke would die before he laid a hand on Logan.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Please review and please no flames.


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